Switch actuating devices



Oct. 3, 1961 P, J, DAN|EL$ 3,003,047

SWITCH ACTUATING DEVICES Filed Jan. 16, 1959 Y I@ l j l az/ f//Qmu @MKM 3,003,047 Patented Oct. 3, 1961 3,003,047 SWITCH ACTUATING DEVICES Paul J. Daniels, 2534 S. 11th St., Niles, Mich. Filed Jan. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 787,174l 12 Claims. (Cl. 200-160) Heretofore, in certain dispensing devices, and particu--v larly in food vending equipment and the like, it has been found that it is diicult toinsure' accurate measurement and controly of the portion dispensed because the conventional push button electric switch continues'tov stayin theA circuit' if the button is held down, with thel result that the circuit-breaking timer mechanism, which usually' takes over with the initial current contactand which is designed to limit theY dispensing time, cannot function accurately if the manual button is held' down too long.

With the above in mind, therefore, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a fully automatic push button switch actuator which makes momen,- tary contact with a spring return plunger of an electric switch to momentarily close an electric circuit for initiating a dispensing or other action, butA which causes the' switch plunger to immediately automaticallyV return` to` circuit-breaking position, regardlessl of how` long' thev manual button is held down, tov permit the circuit-breakingV timer mechanism to control the quantity dispensed.

A more particular object is to provide a push button switch actuator whereinl the switch automatcially breaks its circuit, after'niomentarily` closing the same, whether the push button is released immediately or whether said button is held.' down indefinitely.

A further object is to provide a fully automatic push button switch which can be utilized in conjunction with the conventioiial switch andv timer` mechanisms used4 in vending equipment.

A still further object of the present invention is to provdean improvedv pushY button switch which is relatively simple in design and construction, which is durable, and which is well adapted for use in connection with variousY types of devices.

With the above and other objects in view, the invert`- tion consists of the improved push button switch actuator and all ofV its parts and combinations, as set forth in the claims, and' all equivalents thereof.

In the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification, whereinv is shown one complete embodiment of the preferred form of theV invention, and wherein like reference characters indicate the same parts in all ofthe views:

FIG. l is a top plan view of the switch assembly, with a part thereof being broken away and shown in section, illustrating the relative positions of the switch actuating members before the push button is depressed;

FlG. 2 is a similar view showing the positions of the members after the push button has beenpartly depressed;

FIG. 3 isV a similar view showing the positions of the members after the push button has been fully' depressed; and

FiG. 4 is a similar top plan View' illustrating the final positions ofY the switchv members after the push button has been fully depressed and' while it is still held down.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral i6 indicat the push but-ton employed in the switch actuating assembly comprising the present invention. Said button is slidably carried within. a cylindrical sleeve il mountedto project. outwardly from a ange 12' of.' a. switch bracket I2; A helical compression spring 13 is carried within said sleeve l1 between and abutting the,y inner end of the push button and an integral annular shoulder 14 formed in said sleeve, said spring normally maintaining the push button in the outwardly projecting position illustrated in PEG. 1.

Ahollow stem l5, one end of which is rigidly mounted inv said push button, is also slidably carried within said sleeve 1l, the free end of said stem being frusto-conical, as at 16, and projecting through the inner end of thesl'eeve `and through the ange 12' of the bracket; A circumferential groove is provided about said stem, ad jacent the' end 16, which groove is designed to receivev a'snap ring t7. As will be seen in PEG. l, said ringV abuis the inner end of the sleeve ii; when the push button in its normal position, therebyv limiting' the o utwardj movement of said' button and attached stern.

Slidably carried within said hollow stem t5 is a piston 1-8' having a stud 1S projecting through the outer end 16 of said stem. Positioned between and abutting theinner end or" the hollow sternl' and the piston 1S' is; an compression spring 19 designed to normally maintainthe stud 13 in theV extended position illustrated in FIGS.y 1, 3 andfi.

A ii'at electric switch 2d is mounted on the bracket 12- and is adapted to controlan electric circuit through wires 22 and' 23. The switch contained in said case is a welll known plunger-operated normally open type such as the Acro switch, commonly used in vending and other equipment, wherein the circuit is closed when the plunger 2l is pushed inwardly against the tension of spring 21" to the position illustrated in PiG. 3.

A weighted cam 24 is rotatably mounted on the bracket ft2 adjacent the switch plunger 2i, said cam beingso positioned that the sloping shoulder 24' leading to its high' portion 3l will depress said plunger 21 when the cam is rotated counterclockwise approximately 45 degrees. The outer face of said cam has a raised body portion 25 there;- on having a late-hing arm 26 projecting radially outwardly beyond the periphery of the cam. As; will be seen in FIG. l, when the cam is in its inoperative position the arm 26 is generaily perpendicular to the lower edge of the case of the'switch 20, the back longitudinal edge of said arm abutting the free end of the aforementioned stud 18.

Pivotally mounted on the case of the switch 20, and projecting toward the push button, is ya latching lever 27 designed to lock the cam 24 against rotation, said latchingj lever having a notch 2S therein adapted to receive the end of said cam latch arm 26. The free end of said latching lever is beveled, as -at 29, to co-act with the. shape of the adjacent stem end 116, the purpose oi which; will be seen hereinafter.

Mounted on and above the cam body portion 25 is a hat spiral spring Sil, said spring encircling the central pivot portion of the cam and having one of its ends suitably connected to the cam. The outer end of said spira-l spring is looped over a stud 32 projecting upwardly fromrthe latching lever 27, `said stud being positioned between the pivot point 33 and the free end 29 of said latching lever. As will he readily appreciated, the tension. pro-.- vided by said sprlng normally unges the latcln'ng lever 21 toward the cam and helps to retain the lever in its locking, position. i

In operation, when the push button lil is manually urged inwardly againstv the spring 13,r as shown in FIG. 2 the attached hollow stem 1S simultaneously moves toward the cam latching lever 27, the beveled end faces 16 and 21 of said stern and lever assuming an abutting rela.- tionship as shown. Concurrently, the piston stud 1S, thel free end of which abuts the rear edges of the locked arm 26, begins to compress the spring 19 within said. hollow stem as pressure on the push button continues. As

the push button is further depressed, the spring 19 is compressed still more, to store energy as in FIG. 2, and the end 29 of the latching lever begins to ride up on the beveled end 16 of the inwardly moving plunger, the movement of said plunger overcoming the resistance of the spiral spring 30 and causing said arm to pivot upwardly about the point 33.

At the moment the push button is pushed inwardly as far as it will go, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the attached hollow stem has urged the free end of the latching lever 27 to a position where the cam arm 26 is no longer engaged in the latching lever notch 28, and the cam is free to rotate. This releases lthe stud 18 and it is projected outwardly by the energy stored in the spring 19. This causes the stud 18 to push the cam arm 26 with such force that the cam is rotated approximately 130 degrees counter-clockwise against the tension of the spiral spring` 30 to the position shown in FIG. 3. At that point the force of the released compression spring 19 is spent and. the spiral spring 30, which has been wound during the rotation of the cam, instantly causes the cam to rotate back again toward its normal position.

As hereinbefore described, the cam shoulder 24 and high peripheral portion 31 engage and depress the switch plunger 21 as shown in FIG. 3 after the cam has been rotated approximately 45 degrees from its normal position. Consequently, while the cam is being forcibly rotated toward its 130 degree position by the action of the spring 19, -the switch plunger is depressed from the moment the cam has been rotated 45 degrees to the time the spiral spring 30 returns said cam to a point less than 45 degrees from its normal position, as shown in FIG. 4, all of which takes but a moment.

After the cam has been returned by the spring 30 to a point where its high periphery 31 no longer engages the switch plunger, as in FIG. 4, if the push button 10 has been released the members assume their original positions. If the push button has not been released, the movement of the cam is stopped when the cam arm 26 strikes the projecting stud 18 as shown in FIG. 4. When the cam has reached this point, however, the high periphery 31 and shoulder 24 are past the switch plunger 21. Thus the plunger 21 is released and the circuit to the wires 22 and 23 is again opened and it is immaterial how long the push button 10 is held in a pushed-in condition, the eventual release of said button permitting the members to return to their original latched positions.

As will be readily appreciated from the foregoing detailed description, the present invention provides a push button switch actuator wherein the switch plunger 21, after being momentarily pressed inwardly as in FIG. 3 to momentarily close the switch 20, is immediately released to again open the circuit whether the push button is quickly released, or whether the same is held down indefinitely. The improved switch device permits the accurate operation of conventional circuit-breaking timer mechanisms, which are designed to take over with the initial current contact, and is particularly well adapted for use in food vending equipment and the like where there is no possibility of predicting how long a person will main- 'tain pressure on the push button.

While for the purposes of illustration, -a prefer-redembodiment of the present invention has been shown and described herein, it is clear that various changes, modiiicaftions and adaptations will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. It is to be understood that all of such changes and modifications are contemplated as may come within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

l. An actuating device for an electric switch having a spring tensioned operating member comprising movable actuating means having a part positioned to depress said switch Voperating member when said actuating means is in one position of movement, force applying means including a manually operable member and including mech- 4 anism mounted for movement relative to said manually operable member and relative to said movable actuating means for temporarily projecting said movable actuating means beyond said force applying means to said switch operating member depressing position, and automatic means for returning said movable actuating means to a position where the spring-tensioned switch operating member is released, said operating member depressing part of the movable actuating means being so located that said release of the switch operating member on return movement of the movable actuating means takes place regardless of whether the manually operable member has been released and regardless of whether it is still in the position in which it initiated plunger depression.

2. An actuating device for an electric switch having a spring-tensioned operating member in the form of a cam follower comprising movable cam means having a highv part positioned to depress said follower when said cam means is in one position of movement, force applying means including a manually operable member and including mechanism mounted for movement relative to said movable cam means for temporarily projecting said movable cam means in one direction beyond said force applying means so that its high part is in cam follower depressing position, and automatic means for instantly returning said movable cam means in the opposite direction to a position where the spring-tensioned switch operating follower is released by said high part, said high part being so located on the cam means that said release of the switch operating follower on return movement of the movable cam means takes place regardless of whether the manually operable member has been released.

3. An actuating device for an electric switch having a spring-tensioned operating member comprising movable actuating means having a part positioned to depress said switch operating member when said actuating means is in one position of movement, force applying means including a manually operable member and including energy storing spring mechanism positioned to move relative to said manually operable member after `said manually operable means has vbeen manually actuated for temporarily projecting said movable actuating means beyond and out of engagement with said force applying means to said switch operating member depressing position, and automatic means for instantly returning said movable actuating means to a position where the spring-tensioned switch operating member is released, said switch member depressing part of the movable actuating means being so located that release of the switch operating member on return movement of the movable actuating means takes place regardless of whether the manually operable member has been released.

4. An actuating device for an electric switch having a spring-tensioned operating member comprising movable actuating means having a part positioned to depress said switch operating member when said actuating means is in one position of movement, force applying means including a manually operable member and including energy storing spring mechanism positioned to move relative to said manually operable member after said manually operable means has been manually actuated for temporarily projecting said movable actuating means beyond and out of engagement with said force applying means to said switch operating member depressing position, and energy-storing spring means for instantly returning said movable actuating means to a position where the springtensioned switch operating member is released, said switch member depressing part of the movable actuating means being so located that release of the switch operating member on return movement of the movable actuating means takes place regardless of whether the manually operable member has been released.

5. An actuating device for an electric switch having a spring-tensioned operating member in the form of a cam follower comprising movable cam means having a high `partpositioned`to depress said follower when said cam means is in one position of movement, force applying means' including a manual push button land including a iirst spring in which energy is stored when said button is depressed temporarily projecting said movable cam means in one direction beyond said force applying means so that its high part is in follower depressing position, and a second energy storing spring means for instantly returning said movable cam means in a reverse direction to ya position where the spring-tensioned switch operating follower is released by said high part, said high part being so located on the cam means that said release of the switch operating followero-n return movement of the movable cam means takes place regardless of whether the manual push button has been released.

6. An actuating device for an electric switch having a spring-tensioned operating member in the form of a cam follower comprising rotatable cam means having a high part positioned to depress said follower when said cam means is in one position of rotatable movement, force applying means including a manual push button and including a spring in which energy is stored when said button is depressed temporarily projecting said rotatable cam means beyond said force applying means so that its high part is in follower depressing position, and energy storing spring means for instantly returning said rotatable cam means to a position where the spring-tensioned switch operating follower is released by said high part, said high part being so located on the cam means that said release of the switch operating follower on return movement of the rotatable cam means takes place regardless of whether the manual push button has been released.

7. An actuating device for an electric switch having a spring-tensioned operating plunger comprising movable actuating means having a part positioned to depress said switch plunger when said actuating means is in one position of movement, latching means normally maintaining :said movable actuating means in inactive position, force :supplying means including a iirst energy storing spring, manually operable means -for first storing energy in said iirst energy storing spring and having a part positioned to thereafter move said latching means to releasing position, :said force supplying means being positioned so that the energy stored in said first spring will temporarily project .said movable actuating means to plunger depressing posi- Ltion after said latch has been released, and second spring means connected to said movable actuating means to store energy during such plunger depressing movement of the .latter and to cause automatic return in a reverse direction '.to a position where the spring-tensioned switch-operating :plunger is released, said plunger depressing part of the movable actuating means being so located that said release of the switch-operating plunger on return movement takes place regardless of whether the manually operable member has been released.

8. An actuating device for an electric switch having a spring-tensioned operating plunger comprising movable cam means having a high part positioned to depress said switch plunger when said cam means is in one position of movement, latching means normally lmaintaining said movable cam means in inactive position, force supplying means including a first energy storing spring, manually operable means for first storing energy in said first energy storing spring and having a part positioned to thereafter move said latching means to releasing position, said force supplying means being positioned so that the energy stored in said rst spring will temporarily project said movable cam means beyond said force applying means so that its high part is in plunger depressing position after said latch has been released, and second spring means connected to said movable cam means to store energy during such plunger depressing movement of the latter and y to cause automatic' return in a reverse direction to a position where the spring-tensioned switch-operating plunger isV released, said high part of the cam means being so lo'- cated that said release of the switch-operating plunger on return movement of the cam takes place regardless of whether the manually operable means has been released.

9. An actuating device for an electric switch having a spring-tensioned operating plunger comprising rotatable cam means having a high part positioned to depress said switch plunger when said cam means is in one position of rotatable movement, latching means normally maintaining said rotatable cam means in inactive position, force supplying means including an energy storing spring, manu- Vally operable means for rst storing energy in said venergy storing spring and having a part positioned to thereafter move said latching means to releasing position, said force supplying means being positioned so that the energy stored in its spring will temporarily project said rotatable cam means beyond said force applying means so that its high part is in plunger depressing position after said latch has been released, and spring means connected to said rotatable cam means to store energy during such plunger depressing rotation of the latter and to cause automatic return to a position where the spring-tensioned switchoperating plunger is released, said high part of the cam means being so located that said release of the switchoperating plunger on return rotation of the cam takes place regardless of whether the manually operable means has been released.

10. An actuating device for an electric switch having a spring-tensioned operating member in the form of a cam follower comprising a rotatably mounted cam having a high part positioned to depress said follower when said cam is in one position of rotatable movement, a latching lever normally maintaining said movable cam in inactive position, force supplying means including an energy storing spring, a manual push button for first storing energy in said energy storing spring and having a part positioned to thereafter tiflt said latch lever to releasing position, said force supplying means being positioned so that energy stored in its spring will forcibly rotate said cam so that its high part will be in follower depressing position after said latch has been released, and spring means connected to said rotatable cam to store energy during such follower depressing rotation of the latter and to cause automatic return to a position where the springtensioned switch-operating follower is released, said high part of the cam being so located that said release of the switch-operating follower on return rotation of the cam takes place regardless of whether the manual push button has been released.

11. In a push button switch assembly for actuating an electric switch having a sprng-tensioned operating plunger, the combination comprising: a manually opable member having a hollow stem movable therewith; a compression spring in said hollow stem; a piston slidable within said hollow stem and abutting the compression spring therein and having an externally projecting stud; a cam movably mounted adjacent said switch and having a cam surface positioned to depress said switch plunger when the cam is moved beyond normal position; means on said cam positioned to be engaged by the piston stud whereby spring-urged outward movement of said stud will cause the cam to move from its normal position; latching means normally retaining said cam against movement, said latching means having a part positioned to be engaged by said hollow stem so that the latching means is moved out of engagement with said cam when the manually operable member is manually engaged; and energy storing means attached to said cam to promptly return the same to its switch-plunger releasing position, said ca-m surface being so positioned that the switch plunger is released on return movement of the cam even if the manually operable member is still engaged.

12. In a push button assembly for actuating an electric switch having a spring-tensioned operating plunger, the combination comprising: a manually opable member having a hollow stem .movable therewith; a `compression spring in said hollow stem; a piston slidable within said hollow stem and abutting the compression spring therein and havingan externally projecting stud; a cam disk rotatably mounted adjacent said switch and hav- -ing a high part positioned to depress said switch plunger when the cam is rotated beyond normal position; means .on .said cam positioned to be engaged lby the piston stud whereby spring-urged outward movement of said stud will cause the cam to rotate from its normal position; latch- -ing means including a pivotal latehing arm for normally retaining said cam against rotation, said latching arm having a part positioned to be engaged by said hollow stem `so that the latching arm is moved out of engagement wim said cam when-the lpush button is manually pressed; and .energy :storing means attached '.to .said cam -to instantly return the same to its normal switch-plunger ire leasing position, said high part of the cam disk :being so positioned that the switch plunger is released on return movement of the cam even if the manual push 'button Iis still in depressed condition.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,616,009 Roeser Oct. 28, 1 952 2,831,093 Trussell Apr. l5, .1958 

